


Behind The Visor

by PrimrosePrime



Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Action/Adventure, Dark, Drama, F/F, F/M, Family, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:20:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24112696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrimrosePrime/pseuds/PrimrosePrime
Summary: A traitor. That was how Echo felt to the Decepticons. Like the others, she lost everything.She wished, she hoped. If only the truth wasn't as dark as she thought it would be.
Relationships: Ratchet (Transformers)/Original Character(s), Soundwave (Transformers)/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	1. What Else Was There

Echo sat up from the medical berth and groaned softly. She placed her servo on her forehelm and Ratchet and Red Alert looked to her. "How are you feeling?" Red Alert asked her.

"Feels like I got hit by a truck a thousand times," Echo sighed as she swung her legs over the edge of the berth, "please tell me my checkup is over."

Ratchet huffed softly, "it is now. You can go Echo." Echo nodded as she stood up from the berth and walked out of the medbay. Ratchet let out a heavy sigh, "I swear, that femme will be the end of me."

Red Alert chuckled softly as he looked to the medic, "you don't really mean that, do you? From what Cheetor and Perceptor told me, you've been with Echo since she was a sparkling."

Ratchet's optics softened and he sighed deeply, "that's only the _half_ of the story as much as I can give you Red." Echo walked down the hallway and she looked into the training room. She frowned as Rising Dawn and Strika circled in the center of the room. Strika was the first to move as she leapt at Dawn and tackled him. He yelped in surprise as the two tumbled across the floor.

Echo closed her optics.

_"Ack!" Ares yelped as he hit the floor. Echo shook her helm for what felt like the umpteenth time._

_"Ares, you have to brace yourself," she said, "you're letting Darkwave distract you."_

_"Oh c'mon! I'm practically a mech! She's a femme!" He said with a slight pout as he pointed at Darkwave, "how come she gets to hit me but I can't hit her back?!"_

_"Ever heard of the Declaration Of Independence, the Bill Of Rights and The Constitution?" Darkwave questioned in a teasing tone, making YellowJacket, Earthquake, Springtrap and BlackBlade laugh. Ares grumbled as Echo smirked slightly._

_"Echo," Megatron said through the commlink. Almost instantly, everyone went quickly silent._

_"Yes, my liege?" Echo asked once she answered the commlink._

_"Report to the control bridge. I have a mission for you, Starscream, BlackRain and Dreadwing," Megatron said before he disconnected the commlink. Echo groaned in frustration, "not Starscream."_

_WolfStorm and CrimsonTide looked at each other as Echo walked out of the training room, down the hallway and to the control bridge. She walked into the ground bridge and frowned as Starscream turned to her._

_Echo sneered before she looked to Megatron, "what kind of mission, Lord Megatron?"_

_"A scouting mission," Megatron said, turning to her, "you, Dreadwing, BlackRain and Starscream shall go." Echo threw a cold glare towards Starscream and clenched her fists tightly. Starscream shifted uncomfortably._

_"Echo," Soundwave said within her mind. She looked towards him. He shook his helm and she huffed. The four Decepticons walked out of the control bridge and headed to the flight deck._

"Echo?" The Seeker opened her optics, granting some mercy from her flashback and she looked down at Nightscream. "Yeah?" She said.

"Did you hear me?" He asked, raising an optic ridge. Echo smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her helm, giving the Maximal his answer. Nightscream huffed softly, "well we have patrol with Drift, Prowl, BlackScales and Fireblade in the afternoon. So try to get a nap."

"Not sure if I'm going to," Echo said, shaking her helm. Nightscream rolled his optics. Xenoquillia walked over to them and brushed her helm against Echo's servo, making the Seeker look down at her and smile. Ratchet looked over at them and chuckled softly. He knew Echo had a soft spot for Xenoquillia. Then another thought occurred to him. Maybe it was because Xenoquillia was like her? Scared, confused and hurting? Ratchet felt his spark sink and he took in a shuddering vent. He had known Echo since she was in Kaon.

_Ratchet stood in the medbay, looking over a few medical files. He was glad for the silence on Cybertron. He took a hold of his energon cube and just as he was about to drink it, there was a light knock at the door. The medic sighed heavily, "Ironhide, I swear, if this is another excuse to spend time with me then-"_

_"It's not Ironhide," a quiet voice said from behind the door and Ratchet blinked in surprise. He walked over to the door and opened it. "Echo?" He said in surprise. The young Koanian nodded. She was holding her bleeding arm and Ratchet immediately ushered her in._

_"Thank you Ratchet," Echo said quietly as the Iaconian began to bandage her arm. "You're welcome," he said, "what I don't understand is how you can get into sparring matches. You're so quiet, much like your brother." Echo chuckled softly, "that's what the other Gladiators say. I've been holding my own against Megatronus for quite some time; I mostly just do it because of my pride."_

_Ratchet frowned at her before he rolled his optics. "That's the pride that will get you killed," he said and the Kaonian femme glared at him. "That was a mild and blunt way to put it." She said. He chuckled. "Well... I am known to be blunt at times," he said. Echo huffed but there was a small smile on her faceplates._

Ratchet was the one of the few who knew about her Sparkeater coding. It had been so long since she had gone to one of the scientists in Vos. If it wasn't for Steelmind, she would've been kicked out. That's when Megatronus, Orion Pax and Skylight Pax went to the Council. Echo stood by Megatronus throughout his words and was essentially shocked when Orion had spoke against violence. That was when the War started.

Ratchet let out a heavy sigh and shook his helm. He hadn't told Drift that Echo and Shadowblight had killed Hound and Techna but what would be the point of doing so? He had kept enough secrets and he wouldn't forgive himself had the truth about White Angel gotten out. But...in his spark, he knew that Echo had found out somehow. "Sire?" A soft voice called out and he looked down at Eclipse who was staring up at him with bright emerald green optics. He chuckled softly as he recognized the look in her optics. Bending down, he scooped his daughter up into his arms and she nestled in the crook of his arm. "And where is your brother?" He asked curiously, mentally noting that he hadn't seen Comet this morning. Lily and Gira were the only ones who had said good morning to him anyway.

"He's playing with NightWhisper and BushFlame," Eclipse said quietly, "Lily's with Bumblebee and Cliffjumper in the training room." Ratchet furrowed his optic ridges and he sighed deeply. The relationship between Ratchet and Comet was thirty percent strained but Comet had warmed up to him somewhat. Ratchet looked down at Eclipse gently, "I love you and Comet. Never forget that understand?"

"I love you too Sire. And I won't forget. I promise," Eclipse said with a smile and she snuggled up to him, burying her faceplates into the crook of her Sire's neck. Ratchet smiled softly. He made a promise to protect Eclipse, Lily, Tempest, Gira, Dawnstrike, Radar and Comet altogether. And he'd be damned if he broke that promise.


	2. There's Never An Absolute

Megatron walked down the hallway to Shockwave's lab. The Decepticon scientist was studying the remains of a Predacon bone while in the corner of the laboratory laid Skynight who was resting with Ripclaw sitting beside her. The doors opened and Shockwave turned to his leader.

"Lord Megatron," he said neutrally as he gave a small bow, "is there something you need?"

"Have you found out anything about this Predacon bone Shockwave?" Megatron asked, a weariness in his tone.

"Nothing yet, my liege," Shockwave said calmly, "but I could use some assistance."

"I will send Knock Out," Megatron said firmly, "but what do you know of Sparkeaters?" Shockwave looked to his leader. If he could, he would've been surprised. Sparkeaters were a very rare kind of Cybetronian and even more dangerous than the original experimented Cybetronian.

Echo was the only Sparkeater on this planet and she had a coding.

It didn't really matter yet he, Knock Out, Breakdown, Nightshadow, Megatron and Soundwave were the only ones who knew about the former Decepticon's past. They had been around her long enough to know what she's been through. One could only happen what would happen if she had lost control of her Sparkeater coding and went into a frenzy.

"You know just as much as I, Lord Megatron," Shockwave said. Megatron only nodded before he left the lab. He walked down the hallway and he closed his optics.

_Megatron, Starscream, Predaking and Shockwave stood in the laboratory and Megatron turned as Echo flew into the lab. Once she landed, she transformed into her bipedal form and she straightened her posture._

_"You wanted to see me, Lord Megatron?" She asked curiously. Before Megatron answered, a low hiss erupted from behind one of the gestational tanks and Echo saw a Predacon charge at her. She didn't move and she squinted her optics once the Predacon skidded to a halt before her. This Predacon was a femme, Echo had figured that out quickly but it wasn't just the color of the Predacon's optics that had surprised her; it was the colors of her plating. There was an array of aegean blue, silver-grey, black and blue. Echo snapped out of her astonishment when the Predacon gave another hiss._

_The Seeker stepped back with a light chuckle, "you don't scare me." Disappointment glinted in the Predacon's optics yet she huffed and pressed her muzzle into Echo's arm. "Her name is Xenoquillia," Shockwave said neutrally as he watched the two._

_Echo chuckled softly, "unique name." She knelt down and cupped Xenoquillia's face into her servos, "a newspark. Unique. A rare but lost sight to behold."_

_Megatron chuckled slightly as he walked up to the two femmes. "I trust she will listen to you?"_

_"With the right trust and cooperation, she will, my Liege," Echo said with a slight smirk as she sent Starscream a smug grin, "which should it have come to Starscream, he'd be torn apart within the hour."_

_"AH!" Starscream squawked, his wings fluttering indignantly, making Skywarp and Thundercracker smirk a bit. Predaking couldn't stop the light grin that had spread across his faceplates. It hadn't been very long for Xenoquillia to get along with Echo, due to the fact fhat Xenoquillia and Echo had become partners quickly, especially in battle._

_Xenoquillia was Echo's perfect listener and she seemed to have respect for not only her trainer but her master and creator too. It made Predaking upset but he kept to himself while Darksteel and Skylynx had constantly and smugly taunted Xenoquillia about being a pet. Though she was quick to put them back in their places, much to the amusement of Skynight and Ripclaw._

Megatron sighed deeply and shook his helm before he walked into the medbay and found Knock Out cleaning up a few tools, his back to his leader as he hummed an upbeat tune.

The silver and purple mech watched him, an optic ridge raised before he narrowed his optics. "Knock Out!" He snapped, causing the medic to yelp in fear and surprise, a tool falling to the floor with a loud clatter. Knock Out turned to Megatron, "u-um, yes Lord Megatron?"

"I need you to help Shockwave with something," Megatron said sternly. Knock Out blinked in confusion but he gave a hesitant nod.

{}{}{}

Echo sniffed the air as she walked ahead of Tempest, Bluestreak, Wheeljack and Songblade. She twitched her ear. "Hey Echo," Songblade called out as she let out a heavy sigh, "wait up! Mind telling us what we're looking for anyway?"

"Ratchet said it was an energon signature," Tempest huffed with a slight roll of her optics, "so... either it's around here or up in the mountains."

 _"Butwhereelsewoulditbe?"_ Bluestreak asked in a flurry of words. Neither Echo nor Tempest answered his question.

Echo frowned before she sniffed at the air again. Her ears twitched sharply and her tail began to lash sideways. Was that... energon? It smelled fresh, almost spilled. Without hesitation, Echo ran forward, ignoring Wheeljack's startled calls as she disappeared into the forest.

'That smell... where's it coming from?!' She thought frantically, her optics narrowing and becoming unfocused. She skidded to a halt and widened her optics as a black metallic stag with sharp antlers on it's helm loomed over a offlined Vehicon that had a gash in it's neck cables and there were bite marks littered all over it's sides and back.

"A deer like you can't do that," Echo said and the deer turned to her. He narrowed his optics and he huffed, mist flying from his nostrils and he dragged his hoof against the ground. Echo frowned and unsheathed her claws. Before the stag could charge at her, a net shot out and ensnared at the stag, causing it to yelp and fall to the ground, sending dust flying into the air. Echo frowned as she watched Trail Runner step out from the shadows.

"Never thought a former Decepticon spy could stare down a mentally ill stag head-on," Trail Runner chuckled as a dark grey and orange mech with dark blue optics stepped out of the shadows beside her, along with a light green mech that had golden optics.

Echo pointed her tail tip at the mangled Vehicon, "did he do that?"

"Nope," Trail Runner huffed, "where are my 'manners'? Meet my friends. The dark blue-eyed mech is Skybreaker and the gold-eyed mech is Enigma."

"Nice to meet ya, miss," Enigma said. He had a British accent, Echo noticed. Skybreaker walked over to the stag and took out a small blaster. Echo narrowed her optics and her fur started to bristle.

Skybreaker looked at Echo in the corner of his optic before he shifted his gaze back to the stag, "calm down. It's gonna knock him out." He pulled the trigger and a blaster shot flew into the stag's neck and he immediately went still.

Echo frowned before she narrowed her optics at Trail Runner, "so Lockdown has you hunting after Cybertronian animals now?"

"You mean Cybetronian animals that aren't exactly normal?" Trail Runner asked in a mocking tone as she smirked, her optic ridges furrowed, "ones that had been experimented on in offsite labs and abandoned in the Crystal Gardens? Heh, be glad he hasn't hunted down you, Xenoquillia and White Angel."

Echo's glare darkened at hearing White Angel's name and a low growl erupted from her throat. Her optics flashed and she glitched and became staticky. Trail Runner stepped closer to Echo. "I'd be careful if I were you Echo," she said, "you and I both know what you and White Angel are and I'm quite certain that Lockdown himself would immediately accept the most highest bidder to come after you two." Echo didn't move.

A ground bridge opened and Enigma and Skybreaker dragged the stag through it. Trail Runner patted Echo's shoulder. "Until we meet again," she chuckled before she walked through the ground bridge and it closed behind her.

"Echo!?" The Seeker nearly jumped as she turned to Wheeljack, Songblade, Bluestreak, Tempest and Blurr who were staring at her with wide optics.

"Wh-what did you do?" Tempest asked, her optics landing on the mangled Vehicon. Echo shifted her gaze to the Vehicon and she frowned.


	3. Mind the Wires

"Wait, wait, wait," Chromia said, waving her servos, "Echo was just standing near a mangled Vehicon!?"

Wheeljack internally inhaled as he nodded again. He had explained what had happened at the scouting patrol and Cheetor and Perceptor were checking on Echo. Xenoquillia was standing outside the medbay, her servos fidgeting nervously.

"But she really wouldn't do... that, would she?" Roadcut asked, looking at the Wrecker with discomfort, "I mean, she's controlled her Sparkeater coding for as long as we can remember."

"Be that as it may, I am more worried about Echo than the Vehicon," Twilight said nervously. Ratchet sighed heavily and shook his helm. Comet and Lily looked at each other.

Optimus sighed softly and he looked to the doors of the medbay before another thought came to him. He looked around for a moment. Linewire looked to Optimus, "BlackScales, Bluebell, Tempest and Electroclaw went with Primrose to bury the Vehicon."

"Uh, it doesn't really bother anyone that Prim is burying," Applejack swallowed, "dead Cybertronians? I mean, I get that it's respectful and all but it doesn't really worry y'all?"

"I think it sounds nice," Radar said with a small shrug, earning weird looks from Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Helios and Apollo, "I mean, people do it in Mexico as a holiday. Day Of The Dead."

Starburst looked towards the medbay and shuffled her pedes nervously. Freefall frowned slightly. Echo laid on the medical berth, her optics closed as Cheetor and Red Alert checked her vitals. She looked like she was in a deep recharge.

But really, she was going through her memory banks. She found herself in Cybertron during it's Golden Age and she started to walk around. She watched sparklings and younglings run past her and she smiled sadly.

She walked to the gladiatorial arena and stopped as Megatronus, Soundwave and Echo walked out of the arena with Orion, Skylight and Elita One following. Echo watched them go, her shoulders slumped. She sighed shakily and shook her helm.

Everything around her turned bright white and she slowly opened her optics. She hissed in pain at the brightness of the lights and she used her arm to shield her optics as she sat up. There were quick pedesteps and Xenoquillia wrapped her arms around her, burying her faceplates into her shoulder.

Echo immediately returned the hug and rubbed her back. "I'm okay Xenoquillia," she whispered gently, "I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" The two looked to see Perceptor frowning at them, worry clear in his optics. "Because if something like this happens again, there's no telling what consequences will follow," he said, "and you were the only one who attacked that lone Vehicon. The only reason you can't remember it is because you had been sleepwalking." Echo widened her optics slightly and she lowered her gaze towards the floor. "I-I didn't know I still did that," she said, her voice above a whisper.

Xenoquillia looked at her, "what do you mean?" A look of discomfort and embarrassment appeared on the Assassin's faceplates and she gently grasped the young Predacon's servo. "When I was a Decepticon, I would always sleepwalk and whenever I woke up, I'd find myself either in the medbay or in Shockwave's lab. Knock Out said it was a human thing but I never thought I would get it, let alone make a habit out of it."

"Was there ever a way to break it?" Perceptor asked. Echo shook her helm. Perceptor furrowed his optic ridges in concern. In all his years of being not only a scout but a scientist as well, he never thought a Cybertronian would sleepwalk. Sure, they'd do many odd things but sleepwalking was the most confusing if not interesting to most. Xenoquillia rested her helm on Echo's chestplates, causing the former Assassin to blush slightly.

Perceptor chuckled softly and shook his helm before he walked out of the medbay, leaving the two alone.

{}{}{}

_"Carrier! Sire, don't go!" A young Echo wailed as she clung to her Carrier. The silver and purple femme knelt down and placed her servos on her daughter's shoulders, "I'm sorry, my sparkling. But we have to keep you and your brother safe."_

_"B-but what if something bad happens!?" Echo sobbed, tears falling down her faceplates, "wh-what if the mines blow up!?"_

_"Now, now," A black and blue mech said gently as he gently rubbed her helm, "nothing bad will happen, Little Echo. I promise. Be good for Soundwave and take care of each other." The Carrier kissed Soundwave and Echo's helms before the two walked after the others who were heading for the mines._

_"Come on," a mech said to Soundwave and Echo and he took them to the Gladiatorial Arena. Echo tightened her grip on her brother's arm and gritted her denta, her emotions all over the place. A bright yellowish-white light obscured the siblings' vision and the sounds of cheering echoed in their audios._ Soundwave opened his optics and he sat up, taking off his visor. He sighed deeply and shook his helm.

Deep down inside, he missed Echo. And he knew Shockwave missed her too. He slowly balled his servos up into fists as anger began to wash over him. It was her- no. Not her. **It**. It was **it's** fault. That Predacon. Echo had betrayed him for it. He stood up from his berth and walked out of his quarters and headed for the control bridge.

When the doors opened, Soundwave stopped when he saw White Angel standing at the terminal, her arms crossed over her chestplates and a frown on her faceplates. "Let me guess," she said, "you're going to go after one of Shockwave's many failed experiments."

"They have not failed," Soundwave said calmly as he walked over to the terminal, prompting the Sparkeater to stand aside. "Battlestorm sure hasn't," White Angel chuckled, "and Ember was the only one who's escaped with Bumblebee, due to Predaking's... assistance. I'm surprised Lord Megatron hasn't killed him."

Soundwave glared at her in the corner of his optic, "Lord Megatron has his reasons. Predaking is an Autobot hunter and one of our many valuable assets."

White Angel only huffed before she transformed into her feline form and started walking, "guess I'll do a little _hunting_ of my own then. Good luck." She walked out of the control bridge, leaving Soundwave alone in the dimly lit control bridge.


	4. Sylph (1)

ShadowSeeker walked down the hallway, his helm lowered. "Nightmares?" Ember called out, making him look at her. She walked over to him. "Yeah," he sighed and she nuzzled him in comfort. They headed back to their room.

Echo sighed deeply and she looked at Xenoquillia who was still in recharge. She smiled softly and stroked her cheek. She slowly closed her optics and fell into recharge.

_Echo walked down the hallway to the flight deck and smiled as Xenoquillia walked beside her. "Hey, Lost Spark," she smirked. A blush lit up on the Predacon's faceplates and she gave the Decepticon a light shove, "Echo, I thought I told you not to call me that."_

_Echo laughed, "at least no one's around to hear it." Xenoquillia playfully stuck her glossa out and Echo laughed again. "Call me that again and I won't hesitate to kick your tailpipe," Xenoquillia huffed._

_Echo scoffed slightly as she smirked, "as if you could." With that she took off running with a squeak and Xenoquillia followed her, laughing. Echo ran out onto the flight deck and she looked around for a moment. There was no one there. "Xenoquillia? Soundwave? Shockwave? Nightshadow?" She looked around nervously before she turned and found herself in a lab._

There was a scream and she jolted. "N-no... no... no," she whispered, horror filling her to the core. She clutched at her helm and shut her optics tight.

Echo jolted upright with a shout and she looked around her room. She sighed heavily with relief as she realized it was just a dream. She looked at the left side of her berth and saw that Xenoquillia wasn't there. Her spark skipped a beat and she got up and walked out of the room.

She walked down the hallway and looked into the training room and felt her shoulders relax as relief washed over her. Xenoquillia was watching Wheeljack and Smokescreen spar in the middle of the training room.

She transformed into her cat form, crouched low and leapt over the two mechs, causing them to jolt backwards in shock. Xenoquillia sat upright and Echo landed in front of her.

"Hello," she chuckled. "Hey," Echo sighed before she nuzzled against her, "you could've woken me up y'know."

"You looked peaceful," Xenoquillia said, purring softly as she nuzzled back. "You two are getting along great," Wheeljack chuckled.

"I could the say the same about you and Fireblade," Echo said with a smirk and the Wrecker blushed furiously as Smokescreen started laughing. Xenoquillia snickered and shook her helm at Echo.

Echo grinned triumphantly as she took Xenoquillia's servo and the two hurried out of the training room, laughing. Echo leapt over Xenoquillia and the two giggled as they ran out of the hangar. Xenoquillia tackled Echo and the two tumbled across the ground, laughing.

Xenoquillia ended up underneath Echo and she laughed as she looked up at her. Echo smiled softly and she stroked her cheek lightly.

Xenoquillia leaned into her servo with a quiet purr. Echo sighed softly as the two sat up and Xenoquillia leaned on her. Echo looked up at the sky for a moment, "we've both got something wrong with us. That's the end of it. I'm an experiment while you... you're a strange one."

Xenoquillia smirked slightly and she pressed her digit on the spot where Echo's nose would be, "well you know I'm not the only strange one here. Cybertronians are just strange, extraordinary creatures with beating sparks and brightened souls." The former Assassin looked at the Predacon in astonishment before she gave a light laugh. "I will never understand how you say stuff like that," she said, "you're quite the poet, Xenoquillia."

"Well you're the sister of the Silent One. So it's pretty easy to find out where I got it from," Xenoquillia chuckled. Echo smiled at her before she twitched her ears slightly. She looked towards the trees. They were being watched.

The faintest sight of light green optics is the only thing she sees in the shadows. "Stay here," she said to Xenoquillia before she got up and walked to the forest.

She was glad that Xenoquillia didn't follow. She saw pede-prints in the ground and she was shocked to see them in the first place. They led away from the trees. She followed them, her tail lashing sideways.

She stopped when she heard grunting and cursing. She raised an optic ridge and flicked her ears forward. When she peeked over a bush, she saw a mech tangled up in vines.

"Um... hey?" She called out, doing her best to keep the amusement out of her voice. The mech snapped his helm towards her, his optics widening.

"U-uh... stay back!" He exclaimed, his faceplates a light blue hue. Echo chuckled softly as she decided to ignore his little exclaimation. She transformed into her bipedal form and took out her scythe.

"Hold still," she said. The mech wisely chose to listen as he forced himself to stay still, despite his slight trembling plating. Echo squinted her optics before she brought her scythe down and the blade cut the vines away clean.

The mech sighed heavily in relief, "thanks. Thought you were gonna-" "Kill you?" Echo asked, cutting the mech off and he stared at her startled.

"Who are you anyway? A Decepticon, Autobot, Dinobot, Predacon, Insecticon or Neutral?" Echo asked.

"U-uh... I'm a Neutral," the mech stuttered, clearly caught off-guard by the former Decepticon femme's list of factions, "my name is Mirage." Wait... **_what?!_**

"You're kidding," Echo said in a hissing tone, her optics narrowing coldly. Mirage gave a small flinch at her tone and he took a small step back, "no? Th-that's really my name."

"What faction are you from anyway?" She demanded, stepping closer to Mirage.

"I told you, I'm a Neutral," he said, getting uncomfortable.

"That's not what I meant," Echo growled and she yelped when someone suddenly rammed into her. She flew across the air before she landed on her pedes with ease and she snapped her helm to see a bulky mech that almost had Bulkhead's frame. To say that he was a Wrecker was an understatement. He looked too... good to be one anyway.

"Thanks Gibraltar," Mirage said, letting out a breath of relief. "No problem Mirage," Gibraltar grinned, letting out a wholehearted laugh.

Echo stared at the two blankly. 'Yep. They're definitely Neutrals,' she thought, "how many of you are there?"

The two mechs looked at her. Mirage was most likely bewildered, almost as if he had forgotten she was already there. Gibraltar, however, raised an optic ridge, "there's a few of us. Why?"

"A few of you?" Echo repeated in confusion, "huh. I'm Echo."

"Nice to meet ya," Gibraltar said with a happy grin. He was almost the opposite of Grimlock, dare she say it out loud. And to say that he was like Pinkie Pie was just asking for her to get jumped by the party-planner.

"We better get going," Gibraltar said, "it was nice to meet you though."

"You too," Echo said, furrowing her optic ridges. She watched as the two hurried away and she waited until the sound of their pedesteps faded away before she went back to base.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Nightshadow walked into the control bridge and she looked at White Angel, Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave and Megatron who looked back at her.

She raised an optic ridge, "is something wrong?"

"One of our energon mines was attacked by someone," Megatron said. Soundwave shows the video feed of a white and dark blue femme swiftly rushing past Vehicons and punching them. Nightshadow widened her optics in surprise.

"Who is she?" She asked. "That's what we want to know," White Angel said with a frown, "you and your squad is going to check out the mine with me."

"With _you_ ," Nightshadow frowned, her optics narrowed. White Angel narrowed her optics and placed her servo on her hip, "that a problem?"

"The fact that you're even coming with me and my squad is the problem," Nightshadow said, "I don't want you near them nor my children."

"Nightshadow, you know as well as I do that White Angel would never lay a servo on Shadowcaller or Crystolnia." Megatron said, "but they're not the ones going."

"With all due respect, Lord Megatron, and be that as it may, I'd rather my squad and I go _without_ White Angel's assistance." The last word left the Spark Collector's mouth and she sounded very cold and bitter. Soundwave and Shockwave couldn't blame her. And Megatron surely couldn't.

White Angel narrowed her optics slightly and she frowned at Nightshadow, clenching her fists tightly.

"Regardless, I need you to make sure there are no Autobots trying to attack the mines," Megatron said firmly. Nightshadow looked to her leader before she nodded, "yes Lord Megatron."

With that, Nightshadow, Talonswing, Sunbleach, Echocloud, Moonglade, Firestone, Tide and White Angel went down to the mine.

Tide flinched at the sight of it. There were offline Vehicons strewn about on the ground.

"These guys were definitely punched," Tide said. Talonswing rolled his optics and his optics scanned the group's surroundings.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone else here," he said. White Angel looked at the cave walls. Something was off. She squinted her optics. She took out her crossbow. She took aim and shot the arrow.

A white and dark blue femme jumps out of the way of the incoming arrow and she glares at them. "What in the Pit-?!" Tide exclaimed and the femme jumped off the wall.

A dark blue and white void came to life and the femme disappeared into it. White Angel whirled around before she ran through the void, ignoring the others' calls.

White Angel barely had any time to blink as she was on the other side of the void and in the desert. **_"WHAT THE FRAG!?"_** She shouted in shock, looking around.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

In the clouds, a large ship flew through the air. But it wasn't like the Decepticon warship. It was much different than that. The white and blue femme walked into a room and smiled softly at her comrades. "Wraith!" A light red, white and orange femme ran over to her and wrapped her arms around her.

"Heh, hey Lifeline," she chuckled, returning the hug.

"How did your search go, amigo?" Octane asked, leaning back against the wall. "Not gonna lie," Wraith said, "ran into those Decepticons."

At Lifeline's worried look, Wraith added, "managed to evade them before any damage happened."

"We ran into someone named Echo," Gibraltar said. "Soundwave's sister?" Crypto said, frowning at him.

"Sounds like her," he shrugged. Wraith's optics scanned the room and on the far side of the room, she saw Revenant holding Mirage close, rubbing his helm lightly, carefully. Mirage, on the other hand, seemed to be relaxed and enjoying the other's company.

 _"Toxic."_ Wraith frowned at the word the voices used. Revenant must've known she was staring because his bright neon orange optics met her misty whiteish-blue ones.

They held each other's gaze for a moment before Wraith looked away. She took Lifeline's servo and led her away.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Monochrome walked over to Radar. "Hey, Radar?" He said. The young mech looked at him.

"Yeah?" He said. "Do you know where I can find any wires?" The black and silver mech asked.

"I don't think so. Maybe Prowl or Cheetor know," Radar said. Monochrome looked around and nodded absentmindedly.

"Chrome? You okay?" They turned to see FireFrost and Nova standing nearby.

"I'm alright," Monochrome said, "I'm just trying to think." "Have you been drinking that energon again?" FireFrost asked, crossing her arms over her chestplates.

Monochrome's gaze switched left and right and he pursed his lips. Nova giggled and FireFrost sighed softly.

Lily, Comet and Eclipse were playing with BlackScales, laughing. Eclipse leapt onto the Predacon's back with a squeal and he laughed too.

Lily giggled as she hopped down from BlackScales' shoulder and chased after Comet.

"So there are these two Neutrals named Gibraltar and Mirage?" Optimus said as he, Bluebell, Echo, Ratchet, Opal and Linewire stood in another room.

"Apparently," Echo sighed, "there's more of them too."

"Perhaps we should talk to them," Linewire said. "Perhaps," Opal said with a nod.

Optimus nodded. Echo frowned and she crossed her arms over her chestplates. Linewire looked at her. "You okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine," the Seeker said quietly, "just thinking." Cheetor looked at her in concern.

The monitor started beeping and everyone looked at it. "Looks like the Cons hit a vein," Smokescreen said.

"Smokescreen, Xenoquillia, Ultra Magnus, Overblow, Lumia, Echo, Rainbow Dash, roll out," Optimus said. Monochrome activated the ground bridge and he watched as the five Autobots ran through the bridge.

"What can we do?" Speedwind asked with a pout. Nova shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know." FireFeather looked at Bluebell, Warshift and Locklift.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

At the mine, the Autobots were in a bit of trouble with not only the Decepticons, both sides were getting help from the Neutrals and the Avengers.

"Mind telling me who the Neutrals are?!" Black Jay snapped at the air as he glared at Lumia.

"I'm just as lost as you," she snapped back. Virus dived down and he swiped away three Vehicons. Crystal Stardust and Umbra charged forward and rammed into Wraith, Caustic and Bangalore.

Octane jumped up high into the air to avoid being shot at by Echo's arrows. Wattson rammed into the Seeker and electrocuted her, making her shout in pain and surprise.

Echo whirled around and she roundhouse kicked her away with an inhuman screech. She glared at Revenant and froze.

Her spark stopped and skipped a beat. "N-no," she whispered.


	5. Cumulus (2)

Echo stared wide-eyed at Revenant, every wire and circuit in her body tensing up. She couldn't move and it felt like her breath was being taken away.

"Echo... Echo...! ECHO!" She jolted and yelped as Fallow suddenly yanked her backwards and the two tumbled across the ground. Echo grunted as she came to a stop and just as she was about to snap at Fallow, something else caught her optic.

Xenoquillia was pinned down by White Angel, her claws digging into her neck cables. Echo widened her optics and her Sparkeater coding activated.

An animalistic scream escaped her as her entire form changed to that of a larger panther, only it was more threatening and dangerous. She leapt at White Angel and rammed into her with a roar.

White Angel shoved her away with surprising strength and she activated her Sparkeater coding. She transformed into her bipedal form and took out her two daggers.

Echo let out a low growl and bared her denta. Bangalore aimed her blaster at the two but Revevnant stopped her. "Let's see how this goes," he said calmly. Caustic and Octane looked at each other.

Echo snarled as she and White Angel circled around each other. Echo roared and charged at White Angel. But she nearly tumbled into the other Sparkeater when a blaster-shot suddenly screeched across the air and White Angel snarled in pain as the shot hit her wrist, sending her daggger flying away. She dropped her other dagger and gripped her wrist. Both she and Echo turned to look at Loba who was aiming her blaster gun at White Angel, her deep crimson optics narrowed.

Revenant gave a low growl and Caustic narrowed his optics. "Leave, Decepticons," Loba said sternly, "now." Whether it was by the way her tone sounded or the fact that her optics were nearly glinting in the sunlight, Echo couldn't really seem to decipher as the Decepticons hurried through the groundbridge. Loba glared towards Revenant and he glared back.

Primrose folded her ears back and she barked softly. Loba glanced at her before she walked over to her squad and they went through the ground bridge.

Echo hurried over to Xenoquillia. She slowly went back to her normal height and size and pulled her sparkmate close, burying her faceplates into her shoulder, her body violently twitching and shaking.

Xenoquillia wrapped her arms around her and looked to Optimus with tears in her optics. The Prime's optics saddened. "Ratchet, we need a bridge," Freefall said through the commlink.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"So that was a bust," White Angel muttered. "What could you possibly hope to gain in getting back at Echo anyway?" Starscream scoffed, "she's a pain in the aft, that one."

"You're one to talk," Shockburner growled under her breath. Skyfire frowned at her and Thundercracker glared at her.

"But why did she freeze up when she saw Revenant?" BlackRain asked. Silence fell over the medbay. White Angel frowned as she shifted her gaze to the floor, "because Revenant is an Experiment... just like me and Echo. The three of us are freak accidents."

"Much like you, Eclipse and Comet?" Darkwave asked sarcastically. White Angel growled lowly and she gave the Grounder an icy glare. BlackRain cleared her throat as she gave the two sharp glares.

White Angel huffed. "How would Revenant be an experiment?" Skywarp asked.

"Because he's one hell of a killer," Voltage said, "he forced me to watch as he killed my comrades and left me to die last. I long forgot about vengeance but he hasn't. And neither has Loba."

"What-?" "Revenant killed Loba's creators." Everyone widened their optics at the newfound yet shocking information Voltage had just spat out.

"For Mirage's sake, those two rarely talk to each other. Rarely have and most likely never will," Voltage huffed, "so whatever you do, do **_not_** cross Revenant's path when and if he's hunting or killing. Because he _will_ kill you with no mercy." Breakdown swallowed, so did Sonata and Wildbreak.

"How do you know all of this?" Ravenfeather asked with a frown. "You're not the only one who has required information during his lone time on Cybertron," Voltage said before he turned and walked out of the medbay. Jigsaw frowned as she watched him go.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Primrose walked through the forest, making her way to her Carrier's burial grounds. She felt uneasy and she looked around for a moment.

She felt like she was being watched. She frowned before she walked over to the cherry blossom tree and rested her helm against it. She closed her optics and sighed softly. She always felt out of place. But right now everything was a mess. She twitched her ear and looked towards the forest. She smelled Revenant's scent. Her fur began to rise. He was _here_?

Why? Why would someone like him be at a burial ground? Primrose watched the shadows and she caught the faintest glow of neon orange dots piercing the darkness. Transforming into her bipedal form and taking out her blaster, she instinctively fired. The shadowy form of Revenant moved out of the way of the shot and he glared towards her. She widened her optics and she turned to run only for a startled scream to escape her as Revenant was suddenly in front of her.

She let out a choked grunt when the Neutral's digits suddenly clenched her neck cables and she gripped at his wrist, her optics shut tight. Revenant narrowed his optics and he tightened his grip slightly.

She whimpered weakly. There was a loud bark and she fell to the ground when Revenant's grip suddenly faltered. Linewire pinned him down, baring her denta.

"Don't you _dare_ touch her," she growled. Revenant growled and he kicked her away. She landed in front of Primrose, her optics narrowed.

Revenant glared at the two and growled before he turned and ran away into the shadows of the forest. Linewire turned to Primrose and transformed into her bipedal form.

She knelt down and gently lifted Primrose's helm up so she could see the wounds on her neck cables. As rare and shocking it was to actually see Primrose have bruises, it really didn't feel right. To anyone of course. Even though Primrose reassuringly insisted that she was fine and that she could heal herself, Optimus, Jazz, Firestorm, Electroclaw, Bluebell and Sear seemed to be the ones who had every right to fuss and worry over her.

Primrose whimpered in pain as Linewire gently and carefully placed her servos on her neck cables. The bruises disappeared instantly. “You okay Prim?” Linewire asked gently. Primrose nodded. With Linewire’s help, she got to her pedes and a ground bridge opened. The two walked through it. DarkStar turned to them and her optics widened, “what happened?”

“Revenant happened,” Linewire said, “he attacked Primrose.” Frostbyte and Dustbyte looked at her with worry. Primrose gripped her arm tightly and Linewire placed her servo on her shoulder in comfort.

Sear came over to them and she hugged Primrose. Primrose hugged back, sighing shakily.

“You’re okay,” Sear said gently. Primrose nodded and she and Sear transformed into their beast forms and went over to a corner where Starburst, Skystorm and Wildfire were.

Bluebell watched them. In her spark, she knew now that Primrose was nothing without them.


	6. Notion

Comet walked into the forest and he looked around. He sighed deeply and made his way over to a river. He trained his neck down and placed his nose into the cold water. A shiver ran down his spine as he felt the coldness of the water and he quickly pulled his nose away.

"Hey." A startled yowl escaped him and he jumped back in surprise. He inhaled sharply as his paws hit the cold water and Crystal Stardust and Pandora jumped startled. "Please don't do that!" Comet breathed, his optics wide.

"S-sorry," Pandora apologized sheepishly.

"What is it?" Comet asked as he stepped out of the lake, shaking his paws off.

“We wanted to see what you were doing,” Crystal Stardust said, “how’s Echo?”

“She’s doing okay now,” Comet sighed, “Xenoquillia is with her.” He twitched his ear slightly and looked around. Crystal Stardust nodded as she shifted her pede slightly. Wraith watched them from the shadows, her optics slightly narrowed before she walked away and ran through her Void.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Primrose walked over to Windblade, noticing that the femme had been staring at the clouds for a while now. "Um... Miss Windblade?" She called out nervously.

Windblade chuckled softly, “Primrose, you don’t need to be shy and formal around me. I promise, I’m friendly.”

Primrose felt her faceplates warm up, “I-I know. I’m just really-“

“Cautious?” Windblade guessed with a soft smile and she rubbed the young Prime’s helm, “your Carrier was the same. A bit of a rebel but she cared very much for everyone and saw the good in many.”

Primrose’s optics saddened, “even Megatron?”

Windblade’s optics softened and she placed her servo on the young Prime’s shoulder, “yes. Even him.” The ground bridge opened as Wheeljack, Moonracer, Bulkhead, Earthquake and Songblade drove into the hangar.

Songblade transformed into her bipedal form and took out the Predacon bone. “Got it,” she said with a victorious grin.

“About time too,” Wheeljack said as Optimus and Ultra Magnus came into the main room.

Warshift, Nova and Monochrome looked over at them. Primrose went over to Songblade and she sniffed at the bone. She could see bits and pieces of a faded aurora.

Lapis and Phoenix came into the main hangar with Grimlock, Linewire, BlackScales, Fireblade, Sear, Sludge and Electroclaw following.

“Did you find anything yet?” Bluebell asked impatiently. Electroclaw frowned at her. Primrose ignored Bluebell before she looked at Windblade then at Monochrome and shook her helm.

“Well that’s one Pit of a bummer,” Nova said. “Language,” Primrose, ShadowSeeker and Bumblebee said, earning a soft snicker from Water Lily and Starburst.

WhiteRain frowned and shook her helm, “so long as we can beat the Cons at their own game then sure.”

Grimlock looked at her, “what makes you say that?”

“We have BlackScales and Abominus- we have almost every Autobot, Predacon and Dinobot in here who has weapons and powers,” WhiteRain said, a bitter tone in her voice, “and there’s Eclipse and Comet-“

“My sparklings are not weapons,” Ratchet snapped, startling Nova. WhiteRain glared at Ratchet, “the way I see it, Scorpio and Megatron gave them enough of a dark past to turn them into weapons. Or at least, in Primrose’s terms- Monsters.” Silvercrest flinched at her words and BlackScales frowned.

“You little-” Ratchet started to say as he stormed towards the femme but Optimus got in front of the medic.

“Ratchet, calm yourself,” the Prime said firmly.

Sharpshooter looked at WhiteRain with disapproval and annoyance, “Rain, what’s going on with you?” The femme glared at him before she turned and stormed out of the hangar. Lotus frowned as she watched her go. NightStriker walked after WhiteRain. Optimus frowned and shook his helm. He wasn't going to let WhiteRain act like this any longer.

He had to find out what was going on with her.


End file.
